Contradiction: a combination of statements, ideas, or features of a situation that are opposed to one another. Itta Bena is a speakeasy. It’s tucked away in a space you can’t find. If you know, you know. B.B. King was born in the Mississippi Delta city and made his way up the Blues Highway to Memphis. On Beale Street the blues club carrying his name serves a decent menu. The food and the club feels like a good old fashioned juke joint. Hidden less than a foot away with zero access from the club is Itta Bena.
You can’t get to it from B.B’s. You have to walk around the corner and find a set of stairs. The stairs are poorly lit. There isn’t a sign or any information, but when you walk in, you have to navigate a hallway and on the walls are pictures of musical legends with attachments to soul music and the blues. The restaurant has tint of blue throughout and is dim. It’s intimate, but lively. It’s private in sections and wide open around the bar. There is live music playing, but it’s not the loud raucous sound of B.B. King’s below. It’s usually acoustic sets.
I’ve eaten there and every visit it feels like I’m doing something just a little bit illegal and that feels real good, lol. The food is fantastic. It’s pricey, but worthwhile. I always land on the Braised Short Ribs. The last outing the ladies had the Jumbo Shrimp and Grits and a special I can’t remember, but it was based on their Chilean Sea Bass. We grabbed desserts of course and the tab was right around 175.00. The food is always 9 out of 10 or better and when making a comp to other fine dining, you don’t have to dress up. I’m talking fine dining in regard to the meal, For Memphis premium dining experiences I place Itta Bena just behind Folk’s Folly (which I haven’t rated yet because I always start eating and forget to take pics). For all of the contradictions of Itta Bena, it’s easily one of the best restaurants in the country. The pics here don’t do it justice.
JUMBO SHRIMP & GRITS
BONELESS BRAISED SHORT RIBS
Garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, wild mushroom merlot sauce
SWEET POTATO PECAN CASSEROLE
MAPLE BACON BRUSSEL SPROUTS
CHILEAN SEA BASS
Creamy spinach and red pepper florentine served with wild rice pilaf and a roasted cherry tomato beurre blanc
